Read Online Just One Kiss by Samantha James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Samantha James
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most women who fell in with Nat were no more ill used than he.
His mind strayed to Elizabeth. An odd feeling tightened his gut. He couldn't help but wonder how many a sensuous escapade she and Nat had shared. Forcing himself to relax, he reminded himself he shouldn't judge her for falling in with the likes of his brother. Outrageous as he still found it, her only fault lay in the fact that she truly seemed to believe Nathaniel intended to marry her.
Once again he leveled his gaze on the burly man. "I trust you didn't make yourself known to my brother, Mr. Evans.
Or
your purpose there."
"Not at all," Evans said quickly. "I didn't say a word. I came back to Boston to report to you, just like you said."
"Good." Morgan briefly tapped the tips of his fingers together. Rising to his feet, he extended his hand across the desktop. "I thank you for your assistance, Mr. Evans. I'll instruct my bank to have your draft ready at your convenience."
Evans reached for his hat. "You don't want me to return to New York and bring him back?"
A split second's hesitation… "No, Mr. Evans. That won't be necessary."
He saw Evans to the door, then slowly closed it. For the space of a heartbeat, he wondered if he'd been wrong… Perhaps he should have instructed Evans to return with Nathaniel. After all, he owed Elizabeth Stanton nothing. Why should it matter if Nathaniel leapt fresh from the arms of his latest whore into hers?
But he couldn't do this to her, or anyone. She was better off not knowing where Nathaniel was—worse yet,
what
he was doing.
Yes, he thought. This was the best way, the
only
way. The sooner she was gone, the better for all of them. All that remained was to convince her to board a ship back to England.
That particular subject was still very much on his mind when he arrived home a short time later. As Simmons took his coat and hat, the sound of mingled laughter, feminine and masculine, reached his ears.
"Stephen?" he queried.
Simmons nodded. "Yes, sir. He and the lady are in the drawing room."
And it was there Morgan directed his steps. The pair sat on the sofa, near each other but not touching. Their heads were bent together as Stephen pointed out something on a small map stretched between them. Morgan paused in the doorway, feeling very much the intruder, and disliking it intensely. Neither was aware of his scrutiny.
"Excuse me," he said.
Both looked up at the same time. He could have sworn a flare of something akin to panic lit Elizabeth's eyes, yet it was gone in an instant.
Stephen was clearly nonplussed. "Morgan!" he greeted heartily. "A tad early for you, isn't it?"
Morgan's response was decidedly cool. "Not all of us are born to a life of leisure, my friend."
Stephen chuckled. "Why, I do believe I'm being chastised. I admit, I'm guilty of leaving my office early as well. But the cause was a good one. I was just giving Elizabeth a history lesson, telling her the local lore about the pirates, thieves, and highwaymen hanged on the Common. And since she's not been out of the house since she arrived, I thought she might enjoy a carriage ride so I could show her around a bit."
"Not now, Stephen." His gaze slid to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, would you mind waiting in my study? I'd like to speak to you."
"Certainly." Her carriage slim and straight, she flashed a smile at Stephen as she gathered her skirts in her hands. "Stephen, thank you for a most entertaining afternoon." With a swish of her skirts, she was gone.
"Well, well," Stephen remarked when the two men were left alone. "One might think you the lord of the manor and she the lady."
Morgan's jaw might have been etched in stone. "I have no idea what you mean," he said tersely. "Though I think perhaps a reminder is in order—she's already been spoken for, Stephen."
Stephen's brows winged skyward. "You surprise me, Morgan."
"Indeed. How so?"
"Frankly, I find it strange that you protect your brother's interests, very strange indeed."
Morgan gritted his
His mind strayed to Elizabeth. An odd feeling tightened his gut. He couldn't help but wonder how many a sensuous escapade she and Nat had shared. Forcing himself to relax, he reminded himself he shouldn't judge her for falling in with the likes of his brother. Outrageous as he still found it, her only fault lay in the fact that she truly seemed to believe Nathaniel intended to marry her.
Once again he leveled his gaze on the burly man. "I trust you didn't make yourself known to my brother, Mr. Evans.
Or
your purpose there."
"Not at all," Evans said quickly. "I didn't say a word. I came back to Boston to report to you, just like you said."
"Good." Morgan briefly tapped the tips of his fingers together. Rising to his feet, he extended his hand across the desktop. "I thank you for your assistance, Mr. Evans. I'll instruct my bank to have your draft ready at your convenience."
Evans reached for his hat. "You don't want me to return to New York and bring him back?"
A split second's hesitation… "No, Mr. Evans. That won't be necessary."
He saw Evans to the door, then slowly closed it. For the space of a heartbeat, he wondered if he'd been wrong… Perhaps he should have instructed Evans to return with Nathaniel. After all, he owed Elizabeth Stanton nothing. Why should it matter if Nathaniel leapt fresh from the arms of his latest whore into hers?
But he couldn't do this to her, or anyone. She was better off not knowing where Nathaniel was—worse yet,
what
he was doing.
Yes, he thought. This was the best way, the
only
way. The sooner she was gone, the better for all of them. All that remained was to convince her to board a ship back to England.
That particular subject was still very much on his mind when he arrived home a short time later. As Simmons took his coat and hat, the sound of mingled laughter, feminine and masculine, reached his ears.
"Stephen?" he queried.
Simmons nodded. "Yes, sir. He and the lady are in the drawing room."
And it was there Morgan directed his steps. The pair sat on the sofa, near each other but not touching. Their heads were bent together as Stephen pointed out something on a small map stretched between them. Morgan paused in the doorway, feeling very much the intruder, and disliking it intensely. Neither was aware of his scrutiny.
"Excuse me," he said.
Both looked up at the same time. He could have sworn a flare of something akin to panic lit Elizabeth's eyes, yet it was gone in an instant.
Stephen was clearly nonplussed. "Morgan!" he greeted heartily. "A tad early for you, isn't it?"
Morgan's response was decidedly cool. "Not all of us are born to a life of leisure, my friend."
Stephen chuckled. "Why, I do believe I'm being chastised. I admit, I'm guilty of leaving my office early as well. But the cause was a good one. I was just giving Elizabeth a history lesson, telling her the local lore about the pirates, thieves, and highwaymen hanged on the Common. And since she's not been out of the house since she arrived, I thought she might enjoy a carriage ride so I could show her around a bit."
"Not now, Stephen." His gaze slid to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, would you mind waiting in my study? I'd like to speak to you."
"Certainly." Her carriage slim and straight, she flashed a smile at Stephen as she gathered her skirts in her hands. "Stephen, thank you for a most entertaining afternoon." With a swish of her skirts, she was gone.
"Well, well," Stephen remarked when the two men were left alone. "One might think you the lord of the manor and she the lady."
Morgan's jaw might have been etched in stone. "I have no idea what you mean," he said tersely. "Though I think perhaps a reminder is in order—she's already been spoken for, Stephen."
Stephen's brows winged skyward. "You surprise me, Morgan."
"Indeed. How so?"
"Frankly, I find it strange that you protect your brother's interests, very strange indeed."
Morgan gritted his
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